The present invention relates to protective covers for rail systems used on firearms and more particularly related to covers that clip unto a rifle""s support rail system.
Many military, police and civilian firearms are equipped with rail configurations for mounting various accessories such as: optics, lights, vertical grips, lasers and others items. A military standard, M-1913, has even been established for a particular rail system known as the Picatinny Rail. Another type of rail, the Weaver style, is also in use. The existence and wide spread use of these rails is attested to in the prior art. When rail sections are not in use for mounting accessories they should be covered to prevent damage to the rail system. Covers according to the prior art, specifically depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 5,826,363 (1998), FIG. 29, (col. 5, line 60), tend to be made or a rigid polymer and slide over the rail system. These covers protect the rail system, but require a time consuming procedure when a user desires to mount an instrument on the rail. Typically, the covers must be secured on a dedicated end of the cover by a clipping mechanism that interfaces with only preset portions of the rail. Often times, the instrument, when mounted ideally, precludes additional mounting of covers for the rail, thereby leaving portions exposed, despite varying lengths of rail covers according to the prior art. The prior art covers are also known to become slippery when wet, thereby increasing the likelihood of mishandling the weapon in use or transportation.
The covers according to the present invention not only protect the rail system and can serve as the hand guard for the operator to hold onto while manipulating the weapons, but also feature targeted removal of covers and are modifiable so that more rail area may be protected. They also provide a positive, non-slip gripping surface for use when the weapon is wet.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of rail covers, this invention provides an improved rail cover. As such, the present invention""s general purpose is to provide a new and improved rail cover that will be easily installed and removed, easily modified, inexpensive to produce, an provide a non-slip gripping surface for the user.
By using a standard size of grip and a clip-on design, much more versatility can be accomplished. For example, a 1.8xe2x80x3 section of cover protects five slots in the rail and the related recoil abutments. A flexible material is selected for forming the covers. Examples could be synthetic rubber, polyurethane, silicone, neoprene etc., but not limited to these materials. In forming these covers they nest around the angular sections of the rail. Ribs can be formed in the covers that nest into one or more of the slot sections of the rail or ribs can be avoided for solid rails. These ribs perform several functions. First, they locate the cover on the rail not allowing it to move forward or backward. They also stiffen The cover to hold it in place and prevent it from coming off the rail. The cover can be installed by clipping it onto the rail and requires no special machined slot to lock the cover onto the rail. This type of cover also lends itself to having a full cover that gives a rounded gripping area, but of a large diameter for holding. In this type, ribs are made on the outside of the grip covers to aid in stiffening it and enhance the ergonomics of the gripping area. In another low profile configuration, the cover houses around the angular section of the rail but only employs ribs that fit into the rail slots. The ribs are a height to protrude above the upper surface of the rails, thus giving protection to the rail and a very low profile gripping area.
The ideal material would be a synthetic rubber, but the design of the grip covers would also allow for use of other materials, such as polyurethanes, silicones, elastomers, vinyls, and even more rigid material, but not limited to these materials. The ideal design is one that clips over the angular sections of the rail and is retained by the spring actions of the material used, aided by the rigidity enhancing design elements of the ribs and increasing surface area that must be flexed to remove the covers, but not limited to this. Other means of accomplishing this are to employ a small diameter pin that that fits through the covers from side to side. The retaining pin would be removed for installation, the cover to be clipped onto the rail. Once on, the pin would be inserted into a pre-formed hole that ran from side to side and actually went through one or more of the slot ribs, thereby locking the cover on. Another means of attaching would be to employ a large flat spring clip that could be snapped into nesting points on the outside of the cover on either edge once the covers were clipped onto the rail. The spring clip would nest into a trough formed into the cover at manufacture and be flat with the surface, there by locking the covers into place. These are two additional means of mechanically enhancing the retaining characteristics of the grip materials but are not limited to them.
Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.